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The deal, nevertheless, is “a good one for everybody involved”, Francois Godard, senior media and telecoms analyst at Enders Analysis.

Godard says that despite the plateau – or real terms drop – within the context of broadcast deals across Europe “it keeps the gap between them and the other European leagues.”

“The importance is maintaining the gap and Premier League clubs are the richest,” Godard tells.

“They have more resources to pay for players and nobody can outbid them. It could mean less money for players, but the players can't play elsewhere. They can play in Saudi Arabia in United States, but it's quite marginal. Few players have a good offer to go to these places.”

Godard says that the EPL maintaining that competitive gap with the other big five leagues feeds a “virtuous circle” in which the EPL continues to showcase the best players and which boost the next round of international rights sales.

The Premier League’s handling of its latest domestic rights sale has been declared a success by Francois Godard, a senior media and telecoms analyst at Enders Analysis.

“I think it’s a good deal because prices for rights are flat across Europe, or declining,” Godard told PA.

“The important thing is to maintain the gap between the money they earn and the money earned by the closest (rival) continentally, Spain’s LaLiga.”

Godard felt the structure of the deal – spread over four years instead of the traditional three years and with two fewer packages on offer – suited the largest incumbent rights holders Sky Sports, which he feels has a symbiotic relationship with the league.

“Sky need the Premier League. It’s their best and most valuable content,” Godard added.

Now, though, the situation looks set to worsen. If the Government were to opt for only a 6.7pc increase in the licence fee next year – reflecting the inflation rate in September – the BBC’s annual shortfall would balloon to around £516m, according to Enders Analysis.

Alice Enders at Enders Analysis says the BBC is likely to swing the axe on big-budget productions, rather than tinkering around with smaller cutbacks.

“The problem is the minute you cut the content you cut the audience,” says Enders. “It’s very difficult to recover from that as a public service broadcaster.”

Francois Godard, of Enders Analysis, told The Times: “This is in line with expectation — it’s good for Sky, they have more games and don’t pay much more.

“The important thing is the Premier League keeps the gap between the money they get and the other European leagues. Prices are flat everywhere in all countries and there was no real competition.”

“This is good for Sky, said Francois Godard from Enders Analysis. “They get more matches, more coverage — but also it’s quite honorable for the Premier League.”